Insulator



'April 11, 1944. c. J. LEMON-r INSULATOR Original Filed April 12, 1940 IN VENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

Reissued Apr. 11, 1944 INSULATOR Clarence J. Lemont, South Milwaukee, Wis., as-

signor to Line Material Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Original No. 2,259,526, dated October 21, 1941, Serial No. 329,211, April 12, 1940. Application for reissue June 18, 1943, Serial No. 491,372

Claims.-

This invention relates to improvements in porcelain insulator screw brackets and method of assembly and forming of parts thereof.

My copending application Serial No. 356,637 filed September 13, 1940, is a division of the present application and is directed to the subject matter disclosed herein.

It is an object of this invention to provide an insulator screw bracket comprising an insulator element, a unitary frame member adapted to re ceive the insulator element in xed mounted position therewith, and a screw means operatively related with the frame member for mounting the bracket in operating position.

More particularly, it is an object to provide for an insulator screw bracket including a grooved insulator element, a unitary frame member comprising a cup-like base portion adapted to receive the lower part of the insulator element in embracing relationship therewith, and a pair of arm-like extensions adapted to be received in locked engagement with the grooved portion of the insulator element and held in xed relationship therewith by means of a rivet extending through the insulator element.

Another object is to provide for an insulator screw bracket including a grooved insulator, a unitary frame member attached in reinforcing relationship to the insulator and provided with a screw receiving means formed in the base portion of the frame member in a manner to permit pivotal movement of a screw element which is freely received in the means, and to permit cooperation between the screw element and the insulator, thereby preventing the disengagement of the screw element from the screw receiving means.

Still another object is to provide for an insulator screw bracket, a frame member having a rigid recessed base portion apertured centrally thereof and adapted to receive a lag screw in a manner to permit threaded engagement of the screw with a comparatively thin support being immediately adjacent the base portion, thereby providing anchorage for the bracket and preventing splitting of the thin support due to an unthreaded section on the lag screw otherwise adjacent the base portion.

A further object is to provide a novel 'method of assembling the various parts of a screw bracket by providing a unitary frame member having a screw receiving means adapted to receive a screw element in either pivotal or rigid relationship with the frame member, the method comprising a minimum number of operations which are simple, efficient and economical.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation showing the elements of the bracket partially in ysectional view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical view taken at right angles relative to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a lperspective view of the unitary frame member.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View showing the unitary frame member formed to receive a screw means in rigid relationship.

Fig. 5 shows the frame member illustrated in Fig. 4 associated in rigid relationship with a screw means.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section showing the elements of a modified bracket.

Like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

Fig. 1 illustrates a bracket comprising as a part of its structure an insulator l made preferably of porcelain and having a transverse aperture 2 adapted to receive an electrical conductor (not shown). The insulator is also provided with a smaller transverse aperture 3 disposed at right angles to the aperture 2 and spaced therefrom toward the upper end of the insulator. A channel 4 formed in the insulator l extends from one end of the aperture 3, across the lower end of the insulator and to the other end of the aperture 3 at the opposite side of the insulator. That portion of the channel 4 extending across the lower end of the insulator l provides arcuate leg portions 5 on the insulator. These legs are bounded at the upper ends thereof by shoulders 6 6.

The bracket further comprises as a part of its structure a unitary frame member designated generally by the numeral 1, and shown separately in Fig. 3. The frame member 'l comprises a base 8 which is formed upwardly lat its periphery into a cylindrical wall portion 9 and deformed centrally of the base into a raised portion l0 which is provided centrally thereof with a square-like opening Il. A pair of arm portions I2-l2 extend upwardly from the wall 9 in diametrically opposite relationship to the base 8. Apertures `l3---I3 are diametrically aligned relative to each other and are provided adjacentthe upper ends of the arm portions l 2| 2.

The screw means .ISA comprises a threaded portion I4, a circular head I5 and a squared shank portion I6 adjacent the head l5. It may be noted that adjacent vthe squared portion I 6 of the screw there is an unthreaded section IEA.

This unthreaded section occurs at this point because it is expensive and in most cases impractical to provide threads ush with the head of the screw.

The screw means I3A and frame member 1 are assembled by inserting the screw meansV into the opening I'I .so that the squared shank portion I6 comes into registry with the squared opening I I.

It may be noted that the assembled parts of the unit are held in nonrigid relationship to each other due to the dimensional diierences of `the opening II and the shank portion I6, thereby permitting a limited pivotal movement of vthe screw in the squared opening.

The assembled unit is mounted on the insulator I by engaging the armsIZ-IZ with the side grooves 4 4 and bringing the upper endof the cylindrical Wall 9 into abutting relationshipwith the shoulders 6 6 and the apertures I3-I3 into axial registry with the aperture 3. The frame member is secured `in reinforcing relationship with the insulator `"I by'means of `\a -.rivet I-'I `extending through the aperture 3 'and headed at I8 to complete the assembly-lof 'thef'bracket It `is to be noted that jwhen kthe bracket "is mounted on the side of a house, a portion fof which is kshown by the clapboard 8A, and the screw ISA extends vbetween the studdings vnot shown, vthe only support for the bracket is the comparatively thin clapboard 8A. Accordingly it is desirable to provide threads adjacent Lthe base portion 8 in 'order to secure -the 'bracket tightly against the clapboard .8A randV prevent splitting thereof 'which y'generally occurs in/cases where the'unthreaded portion ISA is disposed adjacent the base. I

Itis vto be further notedthat 4when the `bracket is mounted in any suitable support, ,as for example the clapboard SA and an electrical conductor not shown connected thereto, relative `movement betweenfthe insulator `I and the'frame member ispreventedbyfthe interlocking. relationship ci the yarms VI'2-I2 "in'the grooves f4-4 and "the engagement of the legs`5 with thewallportion S. It is to be still :further noted that the clearancel betweenthe toploi thelhead I5 and the bot.- tom -of the groove '14 permitsa limited pivotal movement-of thescrewl 3A,; allowing the screw yto be "extended "i'n "angular l relationship tothe lbase 8;' thereby allowing thefbase' toxmake'rm, flat contact With' the supporting sur-face Ainto which the A"bracltetfis mounted even thoughft'liexscrew I3A enters" the supportat an undesirable angle. It is further "noted that the 'groove lt cooperates with 'the y'head' [5to:A holdthetscrew "ISA in the opening II. i'

Figs. 14 and 5 illustrate thev ymanner `of assembly of the screwfISA inrigidrelationship with the Vframe member l. The base 8. of the frame member is first formed as shown. in Fig. 5` having an opening I9 whichis-undersize'relative to the dimension of the shank 'portion I6 off. the screw. Therefore the base III- is embossed or upsetas lshown in Fig. 4 to increase the distance .between the opposedsides of `the opening lgsuliciently with the 'shankl 'andat'the same time upset the 'corners/of the tshanlsl uI6 intoranchonportions 2l as shownun Fig."*5. The "anchor portions@l I I provide additional anchorage between the screw ISA and the frame The rigidly assembled screw ISA and frame member 1 are mounted relative to the insulator I in the manner heretofore described with referencetoFig. 1` l It may now be notedv that a-'simples improved method of assembly is provided `for assembling the reinforcing frame member 'l of the insulator bracket with the screw means ISA and the insulator I using a minimum number of operations. It is further noted that an improved method of assembly `,is provided for assembling the screw means IBA in veither an adjustable or rigid relationship with the 'frame member 1.

Fig. 6 Ashows a .modified bracket comprising an insulator 22 `similar to the insulator described withreierence to Fig. l, but provided with side grooves 23 and a. recessed portion 24. A reduced portion 25 extends below the larger upper section of the .insulator forming shoulders .at 26.

The yframe member ,2 ,comprises-azbase 2B pr vided `centrally `:thereof with ,a squared `opening 29 and awall portion :3.0 which extends upwardly into arms 53'I iny tire mannerr described `with reference to Figq.

The screw I3A may be mounted yin adjustable relationship vvviththe framegmember 2l and the assembled unit mounted on the insulator 22 in the manner described with reference tp Fig. v1, except that the head I5 is received inthe recessed portion 24 and the reduced fportion ,1251s received Within the Wall portion .3,6 of the ...base 28.

The insulator .22 is held in rigid 4relationship to the frame member 2"! inthe manner 4.described with referencetoFigl. p

If it is desired .toprovide a rigid relationship between the screw Il3A and the frame .21, the opening 29 'is undersizc relative to the Shank '|16 and the parts are assembled as described with reference toFigs. 4 and5.

From `the foregoing ,description 'it is obvious that the objects ofthis invention "have been attained by providing for an insulatorscrew' bracket a unitary frame member which isassociated in interlocked reinforcing'relationship with-the insulatorandwhich `isadapted to-be assembled with a` screw Ymeans iny an v*adj ustablel or rigid rela-tionship by asimple, elective and-efcient=method 'of assembly.

-It is further obvious tha-tan object of-this-in Vention has-been attained by providingvaframe member 'hav-ingla' rigid recessed base yportion apertured to receive a lag screwvand dispose the threaded portion of theescrewlinii'flushrelationshipwith the ibase.

I claim:

`1. A bracket comprising an insulator-#having a. transverse aperture -an-d diametricallyy disposed groovesy extendinglfrom said aperturel to one-fend of ysaid'v insulator, in combination-with a unitary reinforcing frame comprisingI a substantially `nonyielding cup-like Vbase rigidly/embracingsaid .one end` andfa` pair.v of armsfintegralwvi'th the'. base disposed `Iin said. grooves.l means insaid ,aperture securing said arms inA said grooves, saidbase :hay-

.ing aportion vspaced from saidone endproviding a central inwardly dished:` portion.` onisaidbase with a centrally disposed." polygonal .aperture in said 'dishedf portion, and. a` screw` vhavingiamY `un- -threaded portion of its shank complementary to said polygonal aperture .and havingi Ahead:A disposed between said base; andsaidxonevendet said insulator, .the '.untnreaded; portion :.of. theescrew shank being disposed in the inwardly dished portion of said base when the insulator is screwed home.

2. A bracket comprising an insulator having a transverse aperture and diametrically disposed grooves extending from said aperture to one end of said insulator, in combination with a unitary reinforcing frame comprising a substantially nonyielding cup-like base rigidly embracing said one end and a pair of arms integral with the base disposed in said grooves, means in said aperture securing said arms in said grooves, said base having a portion spaced from said one end providing a central inwardly dished portion on said base with a centrally disposed polygonal aperture in said dished portion, and a screw having an unthreaded portion of its shank complementary to said polygonal aperture and having a head disposed between said base and said one end of said insulator, the unthreaded portion of the screw shank being disposed in said inwardly dished portion of said base when the insulator is screwed home, the space between said base and said one end being greater than the depth of said head, whereby stresses produced in said screw will be transmitted to said insulator solely through said frame.

3. A bracket comprising an insulator having a transverse aperture and diametrically disposed grooves extending from said aperture toone end of said insulator, in combination with a unitary reinforcing frame comprising a substantially nonyielding cup-like base rigidly embracing said one end and a pair of arms integral with the base disposed in said grooves, means in said aperture securing said arms in said grooves, said base having a portion spaced from said one end providing a central inwardly dished portion on said base with a centrally disposed aperture in said dished portion deiined by .a plurality of angularly related sides, and a screw having an unthreaded portion 'of its shank disposed in said aperture and defined peripherally by a plurality of angularly related sides each engaging a corresponding side of said aperture and having a head disposed between said base and said one end of said insulator, the threaded portion of said screw extending to a plane substantially coinciding with the exterior seating surface of said base.

4. A bracket comprising an insulator having a transverse aperture and diametrically disposed grooves extending from said aperture to one end of said insulator, in combination with a unitary reinforcing frame comprising a substantially nonyielding cup-like base rigidly embracing said one end and a pair of arms integral with the base disposed in said grooves, means in said aperture securing said arms in said grooves, said base having a portion spaced from said one end providing a central inwardly dished portion on said base with a centrally disposed aperture in said dished portion defined by a plurality of angularly related sides, and a screw having an unthreaded portion of its shank disposed in said aperture and dened peripherally by a plurality of angularly related sides each engaging a corresponding side of said aperture and having a head disposed between said base and said one end of said insulator, the threaded portion of said screw extending to a plane substantially coinciding with the exterior seating surface of said base, the unthreaded shank being disposed substantially entirely within the space defined by said inwardly dished portion of said base when the insulator is screwed home, the space between said base and said one end being greater than the depth of said head, whereby stresses produced in said screw will be transmitted to said insulator solely through said frame.

5. The combination with a transversely apertured insulator having diametrically disposed grooves each extending from an end of said aperture to the same end of said insulator, a unitary reinforcing frame comprising a substantially nonyielding cup-like base rigidly embracing said same end of said insulator and a pair of arms integral with the base disposed in said grooves, and means in said aperture securing said arms in said grooves, said base having an apertured central portion inwardly dished toward said insulator and spaced therefrom; of a headed screw projecting through said aperture in said portion, said screw and apertured central portion having similarly contoured interlocking areas radially of said screw securing said base and screw against relative rotation, the head of said screw being disposed between said base and said insulator, said screw having an unthreaded portion of its shank adjacent said head disposed substantially entirely within the space deiined by said inwardly dished portion when the insulator is' screwed home.

CLARENCE J. LEMONT. 

